The Brief 3D Slot Era

December 19, 2016

Entertainment industries are on a never-ending quest of innovation. The film industry has gone through a number of phases, with producers constantly trying to keep the film-going experience new and fresh. Back when the television first became a household item, movie-makers were so terrified people would stop visiting the cinema that they tried almost every trick in the book. Their goal was to make cinema an experience that was beyond television. Did you know that there was a brief experiment with films that had an accompanying scent aspect? It was short lived, but it was a really interesting idea!

The casino and gambling industries likewise aim to keep their games fresh, and there is a long history of new and interesting games coming out. Slot games have increased dramatically in complexity, with more betting lines, better graphics, interactive soundtracks, and much more. But did you know there was a brief period of 3D slots games? Let’s have a look at these games, and why it is they failed to ever take off.

In Your Face Entertainment

3D was first introduced many more years ago than most people seem to think. As long ago as the 1950’s 3D movies were being made, although in that era the process was far from easy, and releasing a feature length 3D movie required an enormous amount of time-consuming postproduction effort. Plus, the setup required to project the movie was not something your average cinema offered. 3D movies fell out of favour for these reasons, but, as is well known, saw a resurgence of popularity in the 2000s with hits like Avatar and Alice in Wonderland requiring moviegoers to don their 3D glasses and enter a new world.

3D in slots games seemed like natural progression, so it was no real surprise when Sterling Silver was announced, created by Microgaming. Sterling Silver had previously been released without the 3D effect, but Microgaming added it in an effort to bring new life to the game. The cinematic 3D effect was, all agreed, impressive to say the least. The play symbols seemed to leap out of the screen and hover before the player’s eyes. Sterling Silver was an impressive experience. So why did 3D slot games fail to capture the attention of the average player?

The 3D Downfall

A number of other 3D games were released after Sterling Silver, but none were the explosive success that had been hoped for. Likewise, 3D never took off beyond cinema, with 3D televisions and video games failing to make any significant impact. In fact, 3D televisions are no longer even being made. So why has 3D failed to make an impact? The answer is a fairly simple one; 3D requires glasses.

No, the glasses are not expensive, but they are required. It is crazy to assume that everyone who wants to play 3D slot games will have a pair of glasses sitting around at home, and getting a pair is a bit more effort than most are willing to put in. 3D is cool, and impressive to see, but the novelty simply doesn’t warrant much effort being put in. Once 3D has been seen, most are more than willing to play the game without it. A slot game simply doesn’t benefit much from being in 3D, beyond the initial wow factor.

Modern Slots Games

Most modern slot games have remarkable graphics, and 3D only adds a layer to what is already exceptionally good without it. The 3D is not required for the game to be good, and having to have a pair of glasses on one’s face for what is essentially a gimmick doesn’t add up. Simply put; modern slot games are impressive enough in the visuals department without the 3D effect.

Future Casino Games

3D may have failed to make an impact, but a new innovation that everyone is talking about is virtual reality. Some already fear that virtual reality will see about as much success as 3D; not very much at all, but many companies are already insisting that virtual reality is the way of the future. But can it be? 3D failed because it required glasses, virtual reality requires a whole headset. Won’t this prove to be as restrictive as 3D glasses, but a great deal worse? Perhaps not, given the nature of virtual reality.

Virtual reality is a world of its own, and can transport a person into a new location. The effect is not simply a layer of 3D, but an entire new environment that can be explored in its entirety. There is, of course, no guarantee virtual reality will see widespread success, but as far as game technology goes it is the most promising prospect of a real major step forward. The first virtual reality games have already been released, and responses have been good, but it will still be a few years until virtual reality is a common household phenomena.